FILMMAKER, CASTING DIRECTOR, EDITOR, TRANSLATOR & MORE

1. Who are you, and what do you do?Hello! My name is Anne Hu. I’m a director, writer, editor, and actor. For work, I am currently a Senior Producer and Editor at HBO, cutting trailers and promos for their television series and documentary films. Outside of work, I am passionately creating my own content about our world’s marginalized voices. I particularly write stories about women and the Asian American experience. I strive to create work that pushes the boundaries of what a woman can say. I hope by creating more stories about the Asian American experience, I can encourage more fulfilling opportunities for minorities, behind and in front of the camera.

Poster for Anne’s film “Cake”

2. #CreateYourOwnWork: what does that mean for you?

#CreateYourOwnWork means to me creating work that is unapologetically my voice. #CreateYourOwnWork means to me to be myself, to create work without worrying about what’s popular or what will sell. It means to create genuine honest personal stories with my vision and perspective. It also means taking power into my own hands. Instead of waiting for opportunity to come to me, I feel that creating my own work allows me to not “follow the rules” or “follow the system,” but instead to create work my way. To take on that much personal responsibility is also a hustle, but it’s a hustle I enjoy.

3. What have you gained by creating your own work; on the flip side, what challenges have you faced?Through creating my own work, I’ve met amazing people and formed meaningful relationships with those who I have shared values. I’ve grown through fantastic collaborations with people that share my vision or we share a passion for genuine and unique storytelling. I’ve also learned to have more confidence in my voice over time and how to get more clear with my voice. I’ve learned that the more honest I am, the more I am able to connect with people, even if it’s a niche group.

The challenges of creating your own work include financing your own work and finding your audience. Sometimes as an Asian American female filmmaker, I don’t always know where I fit. For instance, when I’m applying for film festivals, I sometimes ask myself, “Am I Asian enough?” or other questions about my identity regarding other niche festivals. These are kind of ridiculous questions to ask of yourself, but in an industry and world that likes to categorize you, it’s inevitable. But ultimately in the end, I am who I am. I can not change myself or my work for where it will fit. I can only create my own work and the work itself will find its home or audience. 🙂

4. What do you think is the most important skill for a creator building his/her career from scratch?I feel the most important skill as a creator is communication. As a creator, not only are you trying to perfect your ability to communicate with your audience your vision or story, but if you need to collaborate with other artists, you need to communicate with them to collectively execute the idea or vision.

From Anne’s film “Balloon”

5. Which project of yours are you proudest of? Each of my projects have been stepping stones in my career. Each project has taught me immensely and each have had their unique challenges and accomplishments. I have my disappointing and proud moments with each project. Haha. And I assume this will continue with all my future projects as well. I am not proud of any singular project. I’d rather look at my body of work as a whole, and I’m happy with how my portfolio is evolving.